Digital cameras typically transform a three-dimensional view into two dimensions, with the missing dimension being depth or distance between a focal plane of an image to be captured and the camera. Inclusion of depth may be desired in some applications. Prior efforts to provide this third dimension by either estimating or recording depth include stereoscopic cameras, time of flight sensors, and infrared sensors coupled with the camera's normal RGB sensors. Stereoscopic camera systems use two cameras to record light returned from an object from two different directions, and then compare the received (and processed) signals to estimate depth. Time of flight sensor systems rely on recording the two-way transmission time of light reflecting off an object. Camera systems that incorporate infrared sensors employ a color camera and a second camera that uses a projector to cast a grid of infrared light on the image and detect and measure the distortion of the returned infrared signal. These prior art solutions require complex camera systems to implement depth recording. The cost and complexity of these prior art camera systems present an economic challenge for many potential applications.